UTILITARIANISM

13.HowdoestheconceptoflibertyfitinMillsutilitarianismapproach?
1.WhatwasMillsUtilitarianapproach?
JohnStuartMill(18061873)notonlyrestatedBenthamsUtilitarianapproachbutalso
sharpeneditsotospeakheagreedtothenotionthat,thefoundationofmoralsarebased
onthegreatesthappinessprinciplethatactionsarerightinproportionastheytendto
promotehappiness,wrongastheytendtoproducethereverseofhappiness.Wethen
arguetoasktowhatextentMillemphasizedthisnotionmoretocontributeinstatingin
question,inparticular,whatthingsitincludes(thatgivegreatesthappiness)intheideas
ofpainandpleasure,andtowhatextentthisisleftanopenquestion.
MillalsoexemplifiedBenthamsquantitativeapproachbyrestatingitintoaqualitative
approachbystatingthat, pleasuresdiffer oneformtheotherinkindandqualitynot
merelyinquantity.Hearguedthataqualitativeapproachamongpleasuresmightrender
small amounts of highquality pleasures much more valuable than large amounts of
qualitativelyinferiorpleasures,hencehisillustrationofthepigandtheSocrates.
2.Whatisliberty?AndhowdoesMilldefinelibertyconceptually?

Liberty loosely defined is the state of being free within society from oppressive
restrictionsimposedbyauthorityonone'swayoflife,behavior,orpoliticalviews.
MillsconceptofLibertycanbeattributed,asemanatingfromapleaforastrongbalance
betweenindividualinterestsandgovernment.Heconcedesthat,libertyisaprecondition
forthedevelopmentoftheentirerangeofhumannature,hencethatlibertybringshuman
beingsnearertothebestthingstheycando.Hisconceptisconceptuallyrootedinthe
Libertarianschoolofthoughtwhoseproponentsconceivedthenotionthattherearelimits
totherightoftheStatetointerfereinthelifeandconductofacitizen.Thatalsohisown

good,eitherphysicalormoralisnotasufficientwarrant(thatwhateverhepleasestodo
isnotupforquestioning).Thatlibertyemergesfromnolawhencenaturallawratheritis
manifestedfromarelationshipbetweenjusticeandtheprincipleofutility.
3. Can Liberty besubjected to compulsion can theState exercise control on an
individualsliberty?
AccordingtoMill,theStatecanonlyinterferewithonesLibertyintheextentthatit
infringesonthelibertyofotherssohencethestatewillpreventsuchlibertythatcomes
intoharmofothers.Butnotthatthecitizenshappinesswillbeincreasedifhisonfree
willisexercisedonlytotheextentthattheforegoingsuggests.
Millconcedesthat,onemayactinwhateverwayhechoosehoweverinthecounselof
otherstoadvicehimandalsoinstructhimbut,mustnotbeforcedtoactinacertainway.
Howeverhealsoelucidatesthat,thecitizeninhisexerciseofthislibertyisaccountable
foranyactionthatareprejudicialtotheinterestsofothersandhemaybesubjectedto
socialorlegalpunishmentifsocietyfeelsthistobenecessaryforitsprotection(thisis
wherethestateandsocietymayinterfere)thestatesinterference,istoexerciseconductin
which it may deter him or others form such evils. In the modern and contemporary
aspectsofthiswecanclaimthistobetheexerciseofpenalpunishmentsonexerciseof
onesfreewillsoastointerferewithothers,howeverifsuchactionorexerciseiswithin
hislibertyitisabsolutehencethestatesdoesnotinterferesothenthispossesthequestion
ofsuicideisitpunishableImeanisntitanactionagainstonesperson?
4.Towhatextentisthisliberty(onesfreewill)exercisedintheindividual,when
canthegovernmentorstateinthisrespectnotinterfere?

Milldemonstratesthat,itisessentialtorememberthatthepermanentinterestsofmanas
progressive(howcanonesinterestsbepermanentatthesametimebeprogressivewhere
isthepermanencyintheprogressive?)
Millsviewonlibertyisthelibertyofconscienceinitsmostcomprehensivesenseto
illustrateintermsofLibertyofthoughtandfeeling,absolutefreedomofopiniononall
subjectspracticalorspeculative,scientificmoralortheological,Libertyofexpression
andpublicationlibertyoftastesandpursuitslibertytouniteforanypurposenotinvolving
harmtoothers.
Conclusion
Wecanthenconcludetosaythathisconceptoflibertyhascontributedtoindividual
rights and freedoms whish are manifested in various Constitutional Rights, whose
emphasiscanbeseentoapplyintheBillofrightsinmajorprogressiveconstitutionsof
theworldJohnStuartMillproponentshighlightedalsoonWomensrightsandfreedom
ofexpression.Thiswecanallagreetohavebeenwayaheadofhistimeseeingashewas
borninto radicaldogmas attributedfrom his Fatherwhowas amajor protagonist of
Benthamsworks.